LETTERS: On July 19, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to end its occupation of the Palestinian territories "as rapidly as possible" and make full reparations for its "internationally wrongful acts".
The question now is whether the "rule of law" will actually be observed by countries that have consistently supported Israel despite obvious breaches of international law by it.
The identities of those mainly Western nations are well known. They have consistently turned a blind eye to Israel's transgressions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Yet, these same countries will and have condemned and sanctioned others for their breaches of international law, such as Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, and China for its claims over Taiwan.
Such is their hypocrisy and double standard that it is breathtaking.
Therefore, why should any country, especially those in the Global South, believe that the West actually practises what they consistently preach to others, mainly about the supremacy of the "rule of law"? And, that might is not right?
What is the difference between the illegal invasion of Iraq on the pretext of seeking "weapons of mass destruction", and Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine on the pretext of "denazification"?
Both were condemned by the United Nations and its secretary-general, but only Russia faced international condemnation and sanctions for its illegal invasion. Where is the "rule of law"?
The United Kingdom's Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) on May 16, 2024, said: "Many states have relished the opportunity to defy Western pressure by helping Russia evade sanctions and reaping benefits for themselves in the process. Some 40 countries are sanctioning Russia, but two-thirds of the world's population lives in countries that do not.
"Many in the Global South draw a moral equivalence between Russia's actions in Ukraine and those of the US and its Western allies in other parts of the world such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Perceptions of Western hypocrisy and double standards have increased further following Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
"The West is facing a double policy challenge: responding to Russia's instrumentalisation of the Global South in the context of the war in Ukraine, and mitigating the resulting geopolitical rift between itself and the Global South."
The Native Americans best summed this matter up with their saying that the "white man speaks with a forked tongue".
CHEW KOK LIANG
Foresque Residences, Singapore
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times